How Can Ron Paul Win the Presidency? By Becoming a Democrat
by user DNL Like many "small-l" libertarians, I think the best candidate out there for President is Ron Paul, the Republican Rep from Texas. And like most, I realize that there's no way he'll ever win the GOP nomination. But there are ten reasons why a switch to the Democratic Party would change that: #1: Unlike Hillary and Obama, Paul Voted Against Going to War in Iraq Hillary can claim that she would have voted differently if she had "better information". Obama can hollowly claim that, had he been a Senator, he, too, would have voted against the War. And Paul can say: "Well, I actually did vote against the war." #2: By Switching, He Becomes the Strongest Advocate For The Proposition That The GOP Has Left Its Roots George W. Bush was supposed to lower taxes and pork-barrel spending. He's done the opposite. He'd be instantly polarizing -- showing that when it comes to the nation's finances, there's no difference between the two parties. This statement would resonate with a lot of fiscally conservative voters who are otherwise liberal -- that is, people who probably aren't voting in GOP primaries, but would prefer a true "small government" alternative to the current Democratic front-runners. #3: Instant News Firestorm Headline: "Dissatisfied GOP Rep switches parties; Will run for Prez as Democrat". That's front page, New York Times material. #4: Make Eminent Domain History The Kelo case is a great example where Democrats are out of touch with their base. It makes no sense that a poor black family should be evicted from their house so a Fortune 500 company can build a lounge for their C-level employees. For some reason, the Democratic leadership doesn't get this -- and Paul can ram that down their throats. #5: He Hates NAFTA, the WTO, GATT, etc. -- Just Like a True Liberal! While Paul's conservatism is true, in this case, he's more in line with the far-left, MoveOn.org crowd; and for that crowd, this is a red meat, litmus issue. Can they really vote for a Hillary-type over Ron Paul? #6: His Gay Marriage Stance? Basically The Same As John Kerry's At least publicly. The bigger issue is that Paul's stance -- "it's not really the government's business, but we shouldn't *make* states recognize gay marriages" -- has been consistent throughout. He'll be able to assuage right-wing voters while still being palatable to the left, and without flip-flopping. #7: He's Pro-Life but Pro-'Roe' It's the perfect middle-ground position -- the one espoused by every single mainstream Democratic candidate. Abortion is bad, but the government shouldn't ban it. Al Gore]. Bill Clinton. Even Rudy Giuliani. All said roughly the same thing. #8: He's Big Into Health Care Tax Reform Instead of trumpeting "universal health care" -- a sure loser in the general election -- he'll be about "tax credits" and "fundamental fairness". Dem primary voters will like that; general election voters will eat it up. #9: It's a HUGE Rebuke of Dubya Democratic voters are chomping at the bit for someone to take ACTUAL ACTION to tell Bush that he's a certifiable moron. Paul can do that simply by changing his party affiliation. #10: Donations Would Fly In There's little reason for small-l libertarians to give Paul a dime. By default, the GOP is better than the Democratic party when it comes to nominating candidates that have a prayer when Mitt Romney is a serviceable candidate, and he has a chance at winning. Basically, the upside of investing in a Paul campaign is minimal. However, the message sent if Paul is even moderately successful as a Democrat. Paul supporters will be able to send a message to the other party that we're willing to vote for your candidates -- if you are willing to meet us half-way. __NOEDITSECTION__ Category: Opinions Category: Opinions by User DNL Category: May 8, 2007 Category: Republican Opinions Category: Republicans Opinions Category: Democrat Opinions Category: Democrats Opinions Category: Ron Paul Opinions From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki. From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki.